Reference News, July 9 report - According to the Belgian "Military Assessment" website on July 6, the U.S. Army launched a transformation in the field of artillery modernization in June, investing funds to develop the "Blackbeard" land-based hypersonic missile, aiming to integrate it with the M142 High Mobility Artillery Rocket System ("Himars").
The "Blackbeard" missile was developed by Castellion, and its design goal is to provide the U.S. military with an economical and efficient, rapid-response precision strike capability with a range of up to 800 kilometers. This effort marks a significant development in tactical fire theory, combining the mobility and versatility of "Himars" with the deadly speed and survivability of hypersonic technology.
From a technical perspective, the design of "Blackbeard" aims to fill a critical operational gap between traditional rocket artillery and strategic hypersonic weapons such as the Long Range Hypersonic Weapon (LRHW). Although LRHW has strategic range and deep-strike capabilities, it has high logistical requirements and limited deployment capabilities. In contrast, "Blackbeard" focuses on medium-range missions, with its design optimized for seamless compatibility with "Himars" and the M270 Multiple Launch Rocket System. The missile is housed in an improved multi-launch rocket system ammunition family container, requiring no structural modifications to existing launch platforms, enabling rapid deployment and integration into existing artillery systems.
The defining attribute of this missile is its speed exceeding 5 Mach, giving it an advantage over traditional "Himars" munitions and even precision strike missiles on the battlefield. Its extremely high speed compresses engagement time, allowing it to strike time-sensitive targets and various moving targets before they can transfer or activate countermeasures. Its speed also enhances survivability, as intercepting a maneuverable hypersonic missile flying at such speed remains a formidable challenge for even advanced air defense systems. In addition, the missile uses a guidance seeker-based terminal guidance system, enabling precise strikes on mobile and hardened targets in environments with "global positioning system" confrontation.
In terms of performance, although the "Blackbeard" missile does not use an air-breathing engine, it achieves its performance through an efficient boost system and aerodynamic design tailored for sustained hypersonic flight. This allows its actual range to reach approximately 800 kilometers, providing commanders with a flexible and agile strike option that can penetrate disputed areas.
One of the most strategically significant aspects of integrating "Blackbeard" with "Himars" is its cost-effectiveness. Hypersonic weapons have traditionally been prohibitively expensive, limiting their use in operations. By focusing on affordability and manufacturability, "Blackbeard" aims to provide a high-value solution at a price that supports broader deployment. This will unlock the potential of "Himars," which is widely used by the U.S. military and its allies, allowing it to achieve hypersonic effects without resorting to new generation launch platforms or changing force structures.
At the operational level, the ability to launch hypersonic missiles from "Himars" will redefine the launcher. Although existing munitions such as guided multiple rocket launch systems and early versions of precision strike missiles are highly efficient, they lack the speed and target suppression capabilities provided by "Blackbeard." The speed of this new missile will significantly reduce the enemy's response time, improve the accuracy of strikes on mobile targets, and enable deeper strikes from safer distances. It also introduces lethality and versatility consistent with the concepts of multi-domain operations and future maneuver warfare.
In short, "Blackbeard" is not just a missile, but a strategic enabler. It will transform existing platforms such as the U.S. "Himars" rocket launch vehicles into next-generation artillery systems capable of conducting hypersonic strikes from the tactical edge. (Translated by Zhu Jie)
Original: https://www.toutiao.com/article/7524896251771503123/
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